Pop music lovers, if you ever doubted who the best pop princess comeback award belongs to, you must have been in a coma when Mariah Carey reemerged onto the 2005 musical scene. And boy did she make her presence known! This hot tamale has been racking up the #1 position on pop and R&B charts since 2005 when her debut single, Its Like That was released. But, to truly appreciate the ups and downs of her pop music career, you have to understand some of the events that have shaped the woman she is today.



It was 1990 when Carey first graced the pop music scene. Under the watchful eye of Columbia Records executive, Tommy Mottola (who she eventually married, in case you didnt know), she first appeared on the scene with the song, Vision of Love. Soon enough, she became the first person to produce the first five singles of an album that were able to reach top positions on the Billboard Hot 100. Carey soon dominated pop radio with hits like Emotions and Someday. Not only was she the leading pop princess of the 90s, but she was also considered the most successful artist during the decade.

After her divorce from Mottola in 1997, we saw the pop princess dabble with hip-hop elements throughout her music. Soon, we saw Carey deliver pop music ballads and catchy dance tunes, accompanied by a remix that often showcased hip-hop or rap. The flip flopping of pop to other genres of music was confusing for many of Careys fans. Although pop music naturally draws from the influences of rock, hip-hop, dance, and country, she still faced opposition in the true acceptance of this new Mariah Carey. Her evolving musical style was dismissed as an acting out phase against her former husband.

To make matters worse, a series of unfortunate milestones in her life caused fans to doubt her future in the music world. Within a 4-year period, she was dropped by Virgin Records and suffered an unsuccessful film and soundtrack with Glitter, as well as suffered from highly publicized emotional problems. But, who had the last laugh?

In 2005, pop music charts soon showcased the vitality of Carey, who provided the public with hit-after-hit. The first single released from her appropriately titled The Emancipation of Mimi was Its Like That, which carried a playful beat for the clubs. Shake It Off and We Belong Together soon followed. With these hits, Carey was able to earn another memorable title - she became the only female singer to capture the top two spots on the Hot 100 at the same time.

When you trace the pop music career of Carey, you will find many highs and lows, including awesome collaborations with other well known musical performers. In 1995, she joined popular balladeers, Boyz II Men, for One Sweet Day. In 2000, she worked with R&B singer, Joe and pop boy band, 98 Degrees for the well received Thank God I Found You. Many will associate her current genre of music as R&B, but she still stays true to her pop music roots with addicting beats, upbeat singing and melodic vocals.